© Lonely Planet Publications 134 lonelyplanet.com 135 Cuba Dogs sleep on the motorway as a Russian Lada roars past, brightly painted in the incongru- ous colors of the tropics. Behind it a 1954 Cadillac belches black from its impossibly large and beautifully contoured frame. The two Cold War classics coexist here so naturally that it’s curious to imagine that this is the motoring equivalent of seeing a penguin and a polar bear on the same ice floe. After a century split evenly between US and Russian influence, Cuba is slowly rousing itself as the Cuban Revolution moves on to its next stage. With Fidel having shuffled off stage left, Cuba’s boundless energy threatens to burst at any moment. Yet, until it does, 1950s Americana overlaid with a generous layer of 1970s Sovietica lives on in a glorious and unique time warp. Whatever your opinion of this most divisive of nations, there’s never been a better time to visit. As well as having the usual Caribbean attractions in abundance – from white sand and palm-fringed beaches to dramatic mountain scenery, Cuba has one of the world’s most ex- citing (and bloody) histories, extraordinary musical and dance traditions all of its own and a rich national architecture that never ceases to astound. CUBA CUBA Yes, it’s harder work than most of its neighbors, and yes, the government is cashing in on every penny you spend, but the reason people come to Cuba again and again, rife as it is with contradictions and intrigue, is that there’s simply nowhere else like it on earth. FAST FACTS Area 110,860 sq km Capital Havana Country code %53 Departure tax CUC$25 (cash only) Famous for Cigars, rum, Fidel Castro, salsa, classic cars Language Spanish Money Cuban convertible peso (CUC$) and Cuban peso (CUP; also known as moneda nacional, MN); CUC$1 = US$1.04 = €0.67 = UK £0.53 Official name Republic of Cuba People Cubans Phrase Queué bolá assure? (What’s up, brother?); ciao/ciaocito (goodbye/bye) Population 11.2 million Visa All visitors require a tourist card (CUC$15), which is usually issued with your plane ticket or can be bought at airports; see p187 136 CUBA •• Highlights lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com CUBA 137 HIGHLIGHTS pleasantly hot throughout much of the coun- 24ºN 22ºN Havana ( p141 ) Revel in the gorgeous try. The ideal time to visit is January to May, 20ºN colonial architecture, the dramatic sea- when it’s warm but uncrowded and there’s 74ºW Baracoa no threat of hurricanes (which can be a prob- whipped Malecón and the steamy night- Island Acklins Island Crooked life of Cuba’s thrilling capital, which lem on the coasts from June to November). Moa Festivals happen all year round (see p185 ). Long Island brings new meaning to the words ‘faded GUANTÁNAMO grandeur’ O C E A N Baconao HISTORY A T L N I C Santiago de Cuba ( p173 ) Discover Cu- 00 100 km 60 miles ba’s beguiling second city, a place shot European Arrivals Cat Island Guardalavaca through with revolutionary history, When Christopher Columbus neared Cuba 76ºW 76ºW DE CUBA SANTIAGO on October 27, 1492, he described it as ‘the Great Exuma a great music and much charm r HOLGUÍN t most beautiful land human eyes have ever s Viñales ( p160 ) Drink in some of the Car- e a seen.’ Spanish conquistadors, led by Diego M ibbean’s most extraordinary landscapes BAYAMO Central a Carretera Velázquez de Cuéllar, agreed: they came, they r and join the ranks of climbers, hikers r T H E B A M S Pico Eleuthera e i (1972m) saw, they conquered and enslaved – despite Playa Santa Lucia and nature lovers discovering this unique Turquino S LAS Unesco World Heritage site resistance by indigenous chiefs Hatuey and TUNAS Península de Guanahacabibes ( p163 ) Explore Guamá. The native population was deci- Marea y del Portillo this fantastic iguana-heavy national park, mated, and by 1550 only about 5000 survi- üe ag Manzanillo m which has two good resorts on superb vors remained from a population of around a C CAMAGÜEY e beaches; you’ll find the mainland’s best 120,000. The Spanish then began using 78ºW d 78ºW o g diving here Africans as slaves. a l é i Las Parrandas, Remedios ( p168 ) Head to By the 1820s Cuba was the world’s largest p i s h o a c l n tiny colonial backwater Remedios on Dec sugar producer and the US was sweet on it. r i e e A CIEGO DE ÁVILA d R 24 for Cuba’s most exciting street party, So important was Cuban sugar that the US o a g l a Andros Island l e Morón é before spending Christmas on the beach offered – twice – to buy Cuba from Spain. The i d p s i e CUBA n María h c i slave trade continued furiously and by the r d r Cayo Santa A a ITINERARIES 1840s there were some 400,000 Africans in SANCTI SPÍRITUS J CUBA CUBA One Week While seven days can easily be Cuba, forever altering the country’s makeup. Remedios a Ingenios n Valle de los a Meyer spent soaking up Havana’s rich brew of b Brac 80ºW a Cayman 80ºW culture, history and nightlife, an over- The Road to Independence S e Playa SANTA CLARA night trip to Viñales, Santa Clara or Fed up with the Spanish power structure, d Ancón o g CIENFUEGOS a Trinidad l Little Trinidad is a great way to see a little more landowners plotted rebellion. On October Topes de Collantes é Cayman i p Florida Keys i CarreteraCentral of the country. 10, 1868, sugar baron Carlos Manuel de ( U K ) h c Two Weeks r After several days in Havana, Céspedes launched the uprising by releasing C A Y M N A I S L A N D either head west to the Península de Gua- his slaves and asking them to join his inde- Cárdenas s Nacional o Straits of Florida e nahacabibes via Viñales or east to Trini- pendence struggle. This began the First War r r del Sur a Cayo Largo n dad, Santa Clara and the beaches at Playa of Independence, which extended into a Ten Grand a Cayman Varadero Ancón or Cayo Santa María. Years’ War, costing some 200,000 lives before Autopista C s o l Three Weeks Follow the two-week itiner- 82ºW a pact improving conditions in Cuba – but not e d 82ºW Ciénaga de Zapata ary on the eastern route and then head o granting independence – was signed with the g MATANZAS Este a l O F A M E R I C é east to Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa on Spanish in February 1878. Around this time, Playas del i p GEORGE TOWN U N I T E D S A i Surgidero h the very eastern tip of the island. some Cuban landowners began advocating de Batabanó c r One Month Follow the three-week itiner- annexation by the US. A ary, but take the time at explorer pace, HAVANA with hiking thrown in: Topes de Col- NUEVA S E A s Pinar del Rio del Pinar Punta o Soroa GERONA Frances lantes or Parque Nacional Alejandro HOW MUCH? d Autopista Havana- Autopista a Las Terrazas r o l de Humboldt. Keen divers might want o C A R I B E N Viñales Isla de la Juventud Room in casa particular CUC$20 to C to consider a side trip to Isla de la s 84ºW o CUC$30 l Juventud. e 84ºW d o Dinner in casa particular CUC$7 g a l é i p CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO i María la Gorda h PINAR DEL RÍO Bus ticket Havana–Santiago CUC$51 c r Peak times for travelers are Christmas, Easter, A Concert ticket CUC$10 July and August. Overbooking and price hikes G U L F O M E X I C are the disadvantages at these times, especially Internet per hour CUC$6 Península de Cabo de CUBA Guanahacabibes Tropic of Cancer during July and August, when it’s also un- 24ºN 22ºN San Antonio 20ºN ὈὈ 138 CUBA •• History lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com CUBA •• The Culture 139 Enter José Martí. Poet, patriot and inde- Castro and a few others escaped into the After this defeat the US declared a full ‘aspire or accept’ a further term as president pendence leader, Martí organized feverishly nearby mountains, where they planned their trade embargo (known as the bloqueo). In and commander in chief. The announcement for independence and, having convinced guerrilla campaign. Soon after, Castro was April 1962, amid rising Cold War tensions, may have been a surprise (most observers Antonio Maceo and Máximo Gómez to lead captured and stood trial; he received a 15- Khrushchev secretly installed missiles in were expecting Fidel to die in office) but there the revolution, landed in eastern Cuba in year sentence on Isla de Pinos (now Isla de Cuba, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis and was no revelation about Castro’s fitness; his April 1895 from the United States: on May la Juventud). bringing the world to the brink of nuclear brother and closest ally Raúl Castro had been 19 Martí was shot and killed. In February 1955 Batista won the presi- war. Six days later, after receiving a secret running the country since Fidel was struck Gómez and Maceo stormed west in a dency and freed all political prisoners, includ- assurance from Kennedy that Cuba would down by serious illness in 2006.